Ford is recalling nearly 2 million Explorer SUVs made between 2011 and 2019 over concerns an exterior clip that holds the windshield trim in place can detach mid-driving, causing a trim piece to fly off, in one of the largest U.S. vehicle recalls of 2024 so far.
FILE - The 2016 Ford Explorer is presented during the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday, Nov. 19, ... [+]
According to documents filed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a clip on the 1,889,110 affected vehicles can come loose and cause the trim to detach, “becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.”
As of Jan. 12, Ford was aware of 568 online complaint submissions and more than 14,000 warranty reports related to missing or detached trim parts, according to NHTSA documents.
A chronology of the recall posted with the documents shows the NHTSA and Ford have been looking into the issue since at least 2018, but Ford initially determined that due to the low mass of the parts, there was no “unreasonable risk to safety.”
Last year, the NHTSA launched a preliminary investigation and indicated it believed the detaching part was a hazard, prompting Ford to reassess and initiate the recall after discussions with NHTSA over the fall.
Forbes has contacted Ford for comment and did not immediately hear back—but the automaker told Reuters it was unaware of any reports of crashes or injuries relating to the recall.
In documents, the carmaker says owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the A-pillar trim piece inspected and replaced free of charge.
Ford issued the most recalls out of any carmaker last year, and trailed only Honda in the number of vehicles recalled, according to data compiled by USA Today. But the company has said its voluntary recalls are “one of the ways we proactively protect customers from experiencing an issue,” per a statement to the car news site Motor1. The company had another recall covering nearly 112,000 F-150 trucks earlier this year.
Kia also issued a recall this week covering more than 100,000 vehicles over concerns the vehicle’s roof molding can come loose or detach while driving.